The Acting Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Brigadier William Mokonyama, applauded the multi-disciplinary approach by the team comprising of the Hawks Middelburg based Serious Organised Crime Investigation, Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Crime Intelligence (State and Counter), Witbank Trio Crimes, Gauteng Traffic Police Air wing, Vision Tactical and SSG Security for the speedy arrest of the kidnappers and rescuing of the victims at Kwamhlanga.
It is alleged that on Monday, 25 March 2024 at about 18:00, the victims, a 37-year-old male, and a 34-year-old female, were sitting inside a vehicle where political party members were recruiting people to join the party for the upcoming elections.
They were surprised by three African males who attacked and pointed them with firearms and forced them into the back seat of the car. The victims were blindfolded while the suspects drove away. The suspects stopped at an unknown location and forced them into another vehicle. They abandoned the victim’s vehicle and drove to a second unknown location.
On arrival, they instructed the victims to phone their relatives and friends to transfer money on e-wallet and cash send. The male victim was having his wife’s Capitec bank card, and the suspects withdrew an amount of R10 000. They used the female victim`s bank card to buy vehicle tyres at a dealership in Witbank.
The matter was reported to the police and escalated to the team, whereby an intelligence driven investigation was immediately conducted. The intelligence led the team to an address in Kwamhlanga. On arrival, two suspects were found and arrested, and the two victims were subsequently rescued.
The duo, a South African and Mozambique male, were arrested and detained. They were charged and are expected to appear before the Witbank Magistrate Court on Thursday, 28 Mach 2024. The investigation Continues.
